This is topic I'm trying to picture you all in your underwear... in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=050062

Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
...because I've been having a serious case of stage fright for some time now.

I've been reading Hatrack for about six years now, and have never really felt comfortable enough to post. Partly because I'm scared of the Grammar Police, and I also admire a lot of people who post here--which makes me a little nervous posting myself. Funny, I've been to twenty-four schools in my life, made a ton of new friends, and it's ann online community which gives me the most stress.

I'm also not sure how to begin. Do I tell you about myself, or do I just start posting? If there are any Hatrackers out there who would like to hold my hand a bit, it would be greatly appreciated.

Here's some tidbits about myself to start the introduction process:

I was given Ender's Game at age 12 by my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Lindsay. Best. Teacher. Ever. I have since read most of OSC's work.

I was "raised" Morman until the age of 14, but my mother was semi-active at best, and it never felt totally right for me. I still lovingly remember "I am a Child of God", though.

I am a mother of a beautiful six year old boy, and have always wanted to chat with some of you Hatrack mom's out there.

So, here's to finally doing it!

Hi, Hatrack!

[ September 14, 2007, 02:17 PM: Message edited by: landybraine ]
 
Posted by MattP (Member # 10495) on :
 
You misspelled Mormon. [Wink]

Hi!
 
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
 
Well, you've already gotten past the "how do I start" point! Congrats!
 
Posted by Kama (Member # 3022) on :
 
hi [Smile]

*covers self with towel*
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Thanks, Matt...way to make a girl feel loved. There was also an extra "n" attached to another word...but you only get the points for "Mormon".
 
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
Howdy.

Besides OSC, what are some of your favorite books/authors?
 
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
 
Hi, landybraine! Welcome to Hatrack. [Smile]
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Hi, Kama...Goody! Don't worry Kama, I've seen it all before. In my house, I'm lucky if I get a chance to put a towel on before someone comes barging in!
 
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
 
I think she was obviously referncing the amazing superhero, "Mor-man", spreading LDS through the world!
 
Posted by Christine (Member # 8594) on :
 
Oh good, I've got my nice underwear on today. Good thing you weren't looking yesterday -- it was laundry day. [Smile]

Welcome! Nice to meet you.
 
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
 
Oh, and hi landybraine! [Smile]
 
Posted by MattP (Member # 10495) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by landybraine:
Thanks, Matt...way to make a girl feel loved. There was also an extra "n" attached to another word...but you only get the points for "Mormon".

Hey, no problem. I misspelled "misspelled" initially and had to edit my post to fix it before I was found out for the spelling fraud that I am.
 
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
 
Hello and welcome. I think Matt was just being funny since you said you were nervous about the grammar police.

You sound like just the sort of person to fit in here.
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
Welcome to Hatrack! There's no one right way to go about becoming a member of the community, but it never hurts to share a bit about yourself as you've done. I'm sure that you'll fit in here quite well.
 
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
 
Welcome! Six years is a long time to lurk, but I think you'll find we're mostly nice. My boys are 10 and 7 (the seven year old will be eight in two weeks, as he keeps reminding me). I first came to Hatrack when he was a baby.

Glad to meet you!
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
To be totally honest, I'm suprised I picked NOW to say hi- as it seems like Hatrack has had its fair share of touchiness lately. But it's also given a lot of you a chance to shine with the way you've handled yourselves. Sorry if that sounds bold. Just an observation. I'm very excited, though. This has been on my To-Do list for, well, years.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Olivet, it's nice to meet you too! My little one isn't actually six yet...he just insists that he is, so I think I've picked up on it! He's still got two months to go.
 
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
 
quote:
it never hurts to share a bit about yourself
Unless you are a some sort of kitten eating, book defiling, Harry Potter spoiling minion of Satan. In that case, you are probably better off keeping that to yourself.

Incidentally, it's spelled underwear. And I guess we're even, because I'm picturing you in my underwear too.
 
Posted by Katarain (Member # 6659) on :
 
It should only get easier from here... [Smile]

And welcome. [Smile]
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
This is why I love Hatrack! Yes, it is spelled underwear...and until two seconds before I posted this thread, I agonized over "ware" or "wear". I even changed it once, changed it back, thought about going to the dictionary, but then said NO. That's what I get for being lazy.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Thanks Katarain...I imagine I'll make many more of these little mistakes...let's see if you all can put up with it!
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by MrSquicky:
Unless you are a some sort of kitten eating, book defiling, Harry Potter spoiling minion of Satan. In that case, you are probably better off keeping that to yourself.

Well, unless she's polite about it.

So landybrane, how did you fist stuble onto Hatrack, way back when?
 
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
 
"Pardon me sir, would you mind terribly if I subjugated your body and corrupted your soul into the service of my dark master? Yes? Oh well, then I'm sorry for bothering you then and I hope you have a super day!"

She worships Canadian Satan.

---

Incidentally, the fist stuble thing was hilarious.
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by MrSquicky:

Incidentally, the fist stuble thing was hilarious.

:: laugh :: It is pretty funny, isn't it? I have no idea how that came out of my fingers. You'd think that the "r" and "m" keys were broken on my keyboard, but they don't appear to be.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
I was searching out OSC, and found this website. I've lurked and left and lurked some more until I started to feel like I was already a part of this community...without the whole "community" part. [Dont Know]

Over the past couple of years, I've grown up a lot, and I think now I'm ready to talk. Before, I thought I knew everything. Now, I know that's not true, and it's been a very liberating thing for me. Now, I'm really coming into myself, and learning who I am. It's got me wanting good convesation.
 
Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :
 
If you are nervous about the high quality of discourse and intelligentsia here...you've clearly avoided all my posts.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Just so no one thinks I'm some Harry Potter hating kitty-eater...The seventh book came out on my birthday, and I was one of the first in line with a big dopey grin on my face. And I have two big, fat kitties who have yet to be eaten. (Although, they are plump enough!)

::Eyes kitty::
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Phanto, you've kept me laughing for some time now...I've done all but avoid your posts. [Smile]
 
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
 
Welcome to hatrack landybraine! Incidentally without actually looking carefully at your name I thought it was initially, "ladybrain." Do you get that alot?

Glad to have you join the community, remember your child is at the appropriate age to be enrolled in Battle School, better get on that. [Big Grin]

[ September 14, 2007, 03:00 PM: Message edited by: BlackBlade ]
 
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
 
Oh shoot. Not wearing underwear today.


So Landybraine who do you admire here? In six years you ought to have lots of favorites.


Please don't answer that question. Welcome
 
Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :
 
It's strange to think that you've been here for longer than I have...
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:
Welcome to hatrack landybraine! Incidentally without actually looking carefully at your name I thought it was initially, "ladybrain."

Yeah, I misread it for a second too.

quote:
Or have you not read Ender's Game but have read other Card books?
quote:
Originally posted by landybraine:


I was given Ender's Game at age 12 by my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Lindsay. Best. Teacher. Ever. I have since read most of OSC's work.

I assume that she read it when Mrs. Lindsay gave it to her, but I guess you never know. [Wink]
 
Posted by Shawshank (Member # 8453) on :
 
I tend to mostly lurk too. I read the boards all the time- but fairly rarely post. I'm on a posting binge if I post like 10 times in just a couple of days.
 
Posted by The Flying Dracula Hair (Member # 10155) on :
 
Hatrack is a fun place to just exist and look, and I'm very glad such a community is now a little bigger! A big newbie welcome to longtime lurker Landybraine! Yay!
 
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
 
Noemon: Sorry I totally spaced there.
 
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
 
Welcome. Get out there and start posting. [Smile]
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Hello and welcome! If you're anxious about your spelling, many of us use ieSpell and/or Google Toolbar (and/or something for Firefox I can't remember), free downloads that can check your spelling for you before you post. [Smile]

As for grammar, yours seems fine to me. [Wink]
 
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
 
Wilkommen! Bienvenue! Welcome!

I also have stage fright about posting here. Every single gosh-darn time. It does get easier, though. [Smile] The best cure: practice!
 
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
 
See, your first mistake... you're assuming everyone here wears underwear.

Otherwise... Welcome! [Wink]
 
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
 
Welcome! We're a strange bunch, but fun.

Glad you decided to de-lurk and join us. [Smile]
 
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
 
Welcome!
If it helps you any, I favor cami-tanks and black cotton undies.
 
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 
Hey, Landy. Nice first post. [Smile]
 
Posted by MightyCow (Member # 9253) on :
 
I'm not wearing any underwear.


You're welcome [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:
Noemon: Sorry I totally spaced there.

I was just playing around, BlackBlade; I figured you had just missed that line of her post.
 
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
 
I missed the spirit of the thread, because I was trying to be welcoming.

So, let me do this properly, then. I do not match today - white bra, pink cotton undies - really pink, not formerly white but washed with red t-shirt pink.

If you care at all, that is currently covered up by a pair of dark jeans and a purple t-shirt with "Springville Tigers" spelled out in gold. It's homecoming, and we're getting ready to go to the high school football game. Go Tigers!
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
You know, I have absolutely no idea what color of underwear I have on.

::checks::

Grey.
 
Posted by Threads (Member # 10863) on :
 
Welcome to the exclusive club of members with under 100 posts! [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
 
Maybe this image will help.

Hobbes [Smile]
 
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
 
Well, dang. I had to check as well. [Smile]

I also don't match, but much more egregiously than Belle - red plaid undies, polka-dotted bra. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Hobbes:
Maybe this image will help.

Hobbes [Smile]

You're wearing brilliantly green underpants, Hobbes?
 
Posted by Nathan2006 (Member # 9387) on :
 
Welcome. I'm incredibly nervous too. I get migraines if I post in too many controversal threads at a time.

Of course, I'm young, and my frontal lobes haven't yet fully developed, so I still keep posting.

Such is life.
 
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
 
Welcome to the 'rack!

Orange striped boxers and a pink br- ... nevermind.

edit:
quote:
I'm trying to picture y'all in your underwear...
For some reason I can't read it any other way.
 
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
 
Welcome!

I'm wearing very boring underwear today (ummm... like always) so don't get into a tizzy trying to picture me.

Besides, I'm all out of eye-bleach.
 
Posted by James Tiberius Kirk (Member # 2832) on :
 
Welcome. [Smile]

--j_k
 
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
 
Mine are teal.
 
Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
 
Howdy!

My bra might be a demure nude, but my panties have polka dots in four different colors. Woo hoo!

I usually find myself with similar internal contradictions. I blame it on being a Pisces, even though I think all that astrology stuff is bunk.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Vonk, I'm from New Orleans, but live in Michigan..so "you all" seemed like an appropriate balance........but I really say "Y'all" and I'm glad you read it that way.

Tom, thanks! I look forward to talking with you.

Everyone else...Nice to meet you! I feel much better already.

Now, if I could only figure out how to do quotes.
 
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by landybraine:

Now, if I could only figure out how to do quotes.

if you hit the quote button above someone's post it will quote their whole entire post, and put their name on top. That's what i did above, and just removed all the text I didn't want to show up.

another way, if you just want to quote a bit of someone's post put whatever you want to quote within these tags:

[QU0TE]...........[/QU0TE] I used zeros instead of "Os" so you could see it, also lowercase is fine as well.

Or even better, if you use firefox, there's a "paste quote" addon where anytime you copy a bit of text, instead of just pasting it, it gives you the option to "paste quote" and it'll paste the text within the above quote tags.

welcome to Hatrack. [Smile]

[ September 14, 2007, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: Strider ]
 
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Noemon:
quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:
Noemon: Sorry I totally spaced there.

I was just playing around, BlackBlade; I figured you had just missed that line of her post.
No see I HAD read that part and promptly forgot it as I wrote my reply, so idiocy definitely came into play on my part, no avoiding it.

In other news, Hatrack has been specifically forbidden by my supervisor. If I access anything internet related even if it's job related while at work it is grounds for instant termination. [Frown]

I personally think its ridiculous (bordering on redonkulous) that no internet is allowed at work, several of us use it to ensure accuracy when we do our job. Our supervisors response? "Our company has been around for over 100 years without the internet, we don't need it."

Wow we've been around over a hundred years without computers, electricity, machinery, and over 50 years without women in this specific industry. Should we get rid of those useless things too? When is the cut off time?
 
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
 
Oooh, I must install that firefox extension.

--

Welcome to postinghood, landybraine!

--Mel
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
[Frown] Sorry to hear that, BlackBlade. If your company is forbidding all internet access by employees, why don't they just set the firewall to block all outbound http traffic?

[Edit-or is it only your department that is no longer alowed to get online?]
 
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Noemon:
[Frown] Sorry to hear that, BlackBlade. If your company is forbidding all internet access by employees, why don't they just set the firewall to block all outbound http traffic?

[Edit-or is it only your department that is no longer alowed to get online?]

They use the internet for alot of things, transferring files, email, etc. Our daily production warning is a website that automatically loads up when we login. All of that makes the statement all the more ridiculous. As editors some of us were using sites such as google or wikipedia to ensure that when we sent information to a client it was accurate. We even used the internet to increase the amount of information we were sending clients. The supervisor was basically saying that using the internet in that way cuts down on how fast we can do our job every hour and hence it's a problem.

It bothers me that her mentality is, "Quantity before quality," and, "The old way has worked so far we don't need additions to it." In a company the only recently employed computers and the internet in it's methodology makes it all the more moronic.

But our supervisor is an older person and as such I imagine she prescribes to the mindset, "Just do what you are told to to the letter, that's the definition of a good worker."

The ironic thing was very soon after she said that, I had to edit a newspaper article about older generations managing Gen X, and Y folks and the different mind sets each group has. The article wasn't anything ground breaking, but I'm sure my supervisor would do well to have read the article.
 
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
Welcome, landybraine!

Yeah, I was going to say I don't talk about my underwear, but then I realized that yes, in fact, I do, and have, quite extensively discussed it in the infamous long bra thread. So I can't go with that.

So I think I'll say nothing at all. [Smile]
 
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Noemon:
You know, I have absolutely no idea what color of underwear I have on.

::checks::

Grey.

Maybe you should try washing them more frequently.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
I feel it's only appropriate that I disclose my underwear, since all of you have been so open:

I am currently wearing Transformers underoos. I mentioned to my son how cool his underwear were and how I wish I had some (only to get him to put them on! He's kind of a naked baby.), so he promptly got a pair of my white undies and drew Optimus Prime on them! I feel cool.
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
My underwear is boring. And the same every day. And probably the same as several other people here.
 
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
My underwear is boring. And the same every day. And probably the same as several other people here.

I kept trying to come up with a good way to say the exact same thing. [Wink]
 
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
 
LOL! Optimus Prime!

Funny story my older boy told us that happened at the bus stop this week:

One of the girls took off one of her shirts - she was dressed in layers and it must've been too warm. One of the boys waiting with her picked it up and put it on over his shirt and shouted, "Look at me! I'm a transformer!"
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:
quote:
Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
My underwear is boring. And the same every day. And probably the same as several other people here.

I kept trying to come up with a good way to say the exact same thing. [Wink]
Yes, yes, I've seen your underwear. *leers insultingly*
 
Posted by Epictetus (Member # 6235) on :
 
Green Boxers that I should really throw away in favor of newer, more comfortable ones.

But more to the point, Welcome to Hatrack!
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
Where about in MI do you live? I grew up in Utica, and my parents live half the year near Traverse City....


Welcome!
 
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
My underwear is boring. And the same every day. And probably the same as several other people here.

That just doesn't seem very sanitary...
 
Posted by Wendybird (Member # 84) on :
 
Welcome! I've been here just about forever but as you can see by my very small post count I lurk far more than I post! This is a great place as I'm sure you are figuring out [Smile]
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
rollainm: [ROFL]
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
Welcome fellow Michigander!

I thought it was ladybrain too. Then again I got Lyrhawk a lot for the first few months I was on here.

I'll echo Kwea and ask where in Michigan you're at? I'm in Metro Detroit, along with a couple other rackers (though sadly, precious few of us!). Anywho, welcome aboard, I look forward to chatting with you.

Oh, and for being from Michigan, here is your welcome basket!

Tried to make it better, but some Michigan things aren't easy to find pictures of, sorry! [Smile]

[ September 15, 2007, 05:09 AM: Message edited by: Lyrhawn ]
 
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
 
Plaid flannel all the way, baby.

Welcome to Hatrack! [Smile] Well, to posting, anyway. [Wink]
 
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
 
I also had to check.

Pale green. The odd thing is, if you had asked me before I checked, i would have sworn I didn't have any pale green underwear.

Hmmmm.

Ok, who's been switching my underwear?


(Oh, and welcome. ladybraine! [Smile] )
 
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by landybraine:
Just so no one thinks I'm some Harry Potter hating kitty-eater...The seventh book came out on my birthday, and I was one of the first in line with a big dopey grin on my face. And I have two big, fat kitties who have yet to be eaten. (Although, they are plump enough!)

::Eyes kitty::

Let them have kittens. Kittens are yummier.


Or so I have heard..... [Wink]
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kwea:
quote:
Originally posted by landybraine:
Just so no one thinks I'm some Harry Potter hating kitty-eater...The seventh book came out on my birthday, and I was one of the first in line with a big dopey grin on my face. And I have two big, fat kitties who have yet to be eaten. (Although, they are plump enough!)

::Eyes kitty::

Let them have kittens. Kittens are yummier.


Or so I have heard..... [Wink]

For some reason I read that in the same vein as "Let them eat cake."

Certainly puts a new spin on the French Revolution.

Let them eat kittens!
 
Posted by MidnightBlue (Member # 6146) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Hobbes:
Maybe this image will help.

Hobbes [Smile]

I was expecting a picture of a tiger. Now I'm all disappointed.
 
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
 
quote:
Before, I thought I knew everything. Now, I know that's not true
That happens to a LOT of us here! [Wink]


plain cotton, white. I'm a very simple gal.
 
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
 
Landy (Brandy)

Are you aware of the fact that if you type your username into Google it comes right up with your MySpace page?

Don't know if you wanted to remain more anonymous than that, or not. But thought I'd better give you a heads up.

(I only typed it into Google to see if it was referring to some book or movie character that I wasn't familiar with)

Farmgirl
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Farmgirl...thank you so much! I guess it's not that big of a deal...but I guess I should have thought of that before I made my username.
 
Posted by Dobbie (Member # 3881) on :
 
This reminds me of the Brady Bunch episode where Marcia is taking her driving test and the tester pictures her in her underwear.
 
Posted by grammargoddess (Member # 10828) on :
 
Did someone say grammar??? j/k

Welcome from me, too, although I'm more of a lurker/popper-in-er than anything like a regular.

I am a mom though! 3 kids 5 and under and one on the way, so I know all about the lack of privacy. If there's unwrapped soap bars and toilet paper unrolled all over the floor, you can tell I got a shower that day (my kids like to keep busy while they're waiting).

Oh and I'm mormon, so I'm not mentioning my underwear.
(except I just did)
 
Posted by Ivygirl1937 (Member # 10918) on :
 
You know, I've always been partial to bright green.

However, my underwear is just white today...boring. Oh well. Welcome landybraine!! As many of the wise old posters have said, the best thing to do is jump in head-first and post. It's great fun; people make fun of you, correct you, and otherwise make you feel like an idiot.


Just kidding.
 
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
 
Okay, first we have an A/S/L thread and now we're all telling what underwear we're wearing. Is this hatrack or did I accidentally log into the wrong forum? [Wink]

Welcome, landybraine! I can't imagine lurking for six years before posting! It is weird to think of people who know all about me and whom I probably annoy to no end, and whom I don't even know about! Makes me feel all exposed, like I'm sitting in my underwear. [Smile]

But I'm glad we have a chance to get to know you now too! Hail and well met indeed! [Smile]
 
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
[Wave] Welcome aboard. That was a lovely introduction, and I look forward to getting to know you better.

You will have to leave my undergarments to your imagination, since I have no intention of describing them here.

It's just not that kind of website. [Wink]
 
Posted by scholar (Member # 9232) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:
quote:
Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
My underwear is boring. And the same every day. And probably the same as several other people here.

I kept trying to come up with a good way to say the exact same thing. [Wink]
Yes, yes, I've seen your underwear. *leers insultingly*
Come now, we have lots of options- silk, mesh, cotton.
To make my underwear even more boring, I have only been able to find one style/color of bra in my size since I started nursing (well, under $50).
 
Posted by Ivygirl1937 (Member # 10918) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Tante Shvester:
It's just not that kind of website. [Wink]

Apparently, yes, it is. [Razz]
 
Posted by Onanism Thread (Member # 8525) on :
 
landybraine is the most brilliant newbie ever. Who else has ever come here and with their first thread gotten so many regulars to describe their underwear? Brilliant, I tell you.
 
Posted by Ivygirl1937 (Member # 10918) on :
 
Onanism Thread <---- [ROFL]
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by scholar:
quote:
Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:
quote:
Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
My underwear is boring. And the same every day. And probably the same as several other people here.

I kept trying to come up with a good way to say the exact same thing. [Wink]
Yes, yes, I've seen your underwear. *leers insultingly*
Come now, we have lots of options- silk, mesh, cotton.
To make my underwear even more boring, I have only been able to find one style/color of bra in my size since I started nursing (well, under $50).

Nah, I've literally seen his underwear. Ask rivka about it. [Razz]
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by scholar:
quote:
Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
quote:
Originally posted by BlackBlade:
quote:
Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
My underwear is boring. And the same every day. And probably the same as several other people here.

I kept trying to come up with a good way to say the exact same thing. [Wink]
Yes, yes, I've seen your underwear. *leers insultingly*
Come now, we have lots of options- silk, mesh, cotton.
To make my underwear even more boring, I have only been able to find one style/color of bra in my size since I started nursing (well, under $50).

I prefer a hybrid personally. 20% silk for that sheer, fancy feeling. 30% flannel for warmth, 40% goretex so it breathes and in case it rains. And 10% lycra for comfort.

It's an undergarment for all occasions. Alternatively, for an activeware version you replace the 20% silk with 20% Under Armour.

Of course, not having won the lottery, I wear those cheap boxers you get at Costco, in a pinstripe pattern I believe.
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
Lyr, are we talking about the same thing? [Confused]
 
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
 
You do know that flannel is a type of fabric, not a fiber, right? Most flannel in the US is made out of cotton now, although originally it was made of wool. The term refers to the weaving and napping process.

So your dream fabric doesn't make sense. You could make flannel out of silk and goretex, but you can't make a blend of silk and flannel. Or anything and flannel. It's like satin can be made out of silk, rayon, polyester, or a combination or all three, but you can't make a blend of silk and satin.

Nothing like ruining the joke with over analysis, eh?
 
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
 
kq, no, you and Lyr are not talking about the same thing.
 
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ivygirl1937:
quote:
Originally posted by Tante Shvester:
It's just not that kind of website. [Wink]

Apparently, yes, it is. [Razz]
I stand corrected.


But I'm still not going to describe my intimate apparel with you. So there!
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
quote:
I prefer a hybrid personally. 20% silk for that sheer, fancy feeling. 30% flannel for warmth, 40% goretex so it breathes and in case it rains. And 10% lycra for comfort.


[ROFL] Always be prepared, that's my motto!


To Kwea and Lyr: I live and love in Ann Arbor, MI. Probably one of the best places I've ever lived (minus the snow!).


And to everyone else who has welcomed me, corrected me, or otherwise made my first post officially awesome -- I say thankee!
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ElJay:
You do know that flannel is a type of fabric, not a fiber, right? Most flannel in the US is made out of cotton now, although originally it was made of wool. The term refers to the weaving and napping process.

So your dream fabric doesn't make sense. You could make flannel out of silk and goretex, but you can't make a blend of silk and flannel. Or anything and flannel. It's like satin can be made out of silk, rayon, polyester, or a combination or all three, but you can't make a blend of silk and satin.

Nothing like ruining the joke with over analysis, eh?

You ruined my dream underwear with knowledge! [Cry]
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Onanism Thread:
landybraine is the most brilliant newbie ever. Who else has ever come here and with their first thread gotten so many regulars to describe their underwear? Brilliant, I tell you.

Well, she has had six years to think about it.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Noemon:
Well, she has had six years to think about it.

Just to clear the air, I promise that I don't have everyone's posts catagorized and listed for my crazy lurking purposes. I haven't memorized everyones likes, dislikes, favorite color, what kind of underwear you wear or anything of the sort. (Except for you, TomDavidson...I've got my eye on you. [Wink] )
 
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
 
Just as well. We wouldn't want poor breyerchic to be out of a job.

--Mel
 
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
Hah! I was going to say that, Mel!
 
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
 
Boring white briefs.
Welcome to the forum landybraine! [Wave]

[ September 17, 2007, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: Morbo ]
 
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
 
I got pied and eaten when I first posted my intro here, 7 years ago. But those people aren't around anymore.

Is anyone here qualified to eat the noob?

And welcome to the posting side of Hatrack, landybraine. You can check out anytime you want....
 
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by landybraine:
If there are any Hatrackers out there who would like to hold my hand a bit, it would be greatly appreciated.

You did great so far! We're all with you. [Smile]
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
((((Tatiana))) I'm in a hugging mood today. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Happy Camper (Member # 5076) on :
 
Hmmm, I seem to be wearing gray boxer-briefs and a black A-shirt today.

Welcome out of lurkerdom. Though I'm not sure I qualify as a non-lurker myself, as I usually get some form of mild surprise (perhaps that I'm still alive, not sure on that score), when I stick my head up to look around. Seems like you'll fit in well here.
 
Posted by Onanism Thread (Member # 8525) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Noemon:
quote:
Originally posted by Onanism Thread:
landybraine is the most brilliant newbie ever. Who else has ever come here and with their first thread gotten so many regulars to describe their underwear? Brilliant, I tell you.

Well, she has had six years to think about it.
Clearly she's been biding her time until the perfect moment to unleash her master stroke. It's a climax to her lurkerdom that's been a long time coming.
 
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
 
*chokes over "master stroke"*
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
::Preens::
I did have six years to think about it. [Razz]
 
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
*chokes over "master stroke"*

Now, now, choking is my domain.
 
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
 
* snorts over the combination of " master stroke" and "choking".
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Isn't this a family forum? [Wink]
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
Seriously, get a grip on yourselves.
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
Sure, but you know from your years of lurking that we can't resist the opportunity to pun. And when the puns can be off color? Look out.

What about you, landy? You strike me as someone who could hold their own when threads take this kind of turn.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Sure, sure...but I keep it klean for the kiddies.

I thoroughly enjoyed the "master stroke" accompanied by the "choke" comments, but hey, I'm new here. No need to buck the system.
 
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
 
<<<<hugs landy back>>>>
 
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
 
Hi, landy and welcome. [Smile]

That was a pretty funny intro thread. I couldn't imagine why anyone was posting that they were picturing us in our underwear. [Razz]

...which, actually, was the main reason I opened the thread. [Wink]
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
That's what I was hoping for. My main fear was that people would just gloss over my post... six years of getting prepared down the tube! [Angst]
 
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
 
Late to the party, but pink on the bottom and white on the top, both of mundane design. It'd maybe be more exciting, but I worked the night shift last week, so it's been a lazy sort of day today. [Smile]

Welcome to Hatrack!
 
Posted by anti_maven (Member # 9789) on :
 
Hullooo.

I have no fear of posting, just nothing interesting to say.

BTW, today = hessian.

[Wink]
 
Posted by Evie3217 (Member # 5426) on :
 
Haha, great first topic, landy. Welcome to the 'rack. May your time here be filled with outlandish comments and off-color jokes.
 
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
Welcome! [Smile]

::checks underwear::

Brown.

[Wink]
 
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Happy Camper:
Though I'm not sure I qualify as a non-lurker myself, as I usually get some form of mild surprise (perhaps that I'm still alive, not sure on that score), when I stick my head up to look around.

[Eek!]

Sorry. Had to. [Smile]
 
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
 
I haven't worn underwear in this millenium, just in case anyone was wondering if I was even slightly normal.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Icarus:
Welcome! [Smile]

::checks underwear::

Brown.

[Wink]

Ew, Icarus. Just ew. [Wink]
 
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
 
I think we could use a few more underwear threads. Me especially, 'cause I never wear any.
 
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
Hey steven, what kind of underwear do you wear?
 
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
 
I wear the Emperor's new underwear.

You can't see it.
 
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
 
Hi landybraine, and welcome! I'm really glad that your first post didn't actually say "so what kind of underwear do you have on?" and therefore I can post here w/o feeling like I'm ignoring your question.

As for the kittens, certain regular jatraqueros eat babies, so I don't know that you'd have too much to worry about there. Now Harry Potter spoiling, on the other hand (or any other kind of unmarked spoilering) . . . that I'd be careful about. [Wink]
 
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
If you really want to make a splash, you should delete this thread now.
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
I don't think the splash of her own blood hitting the ground is the sort of splash she had in mind. [Smile]
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
I think enough blood has been spilled because of deleting threads, so I'll stay out of that one, thank you very much! [Wink]
 
Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :
 
Delete it! ^_^
 
Posted by Ivygirl1937 (Member # 10918) on :
 
Icarus and Phanto, you're both such bad influences! [Razz]
 
Posted by Onanism Thread (Member # 8525) on :
 
I thought this underwear thread had been put to bed, but back to the first page it keeps popping up and it's getting hard to deal with.
 
Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :
 
Moi? Mais, non!
 
Posted by Ivygirl1937 (Member # 10918) on :
 
Yes, you are. Don't lie. You're a horrible influence on newbies.
 
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
 
I wonder if a six year lurker could be in any sense called a newbie?
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
I would say I feel like a newbie. I think the only thing I've learned from being a long-time lurker is the flow of the conversation. I've also brushed up on my writing, which is essential to being accepted on Hatrack. And rightly so. I think that's what makes this forum so great is the level of writing, and the thought that is put into it.

However, my little brother tried twice to post on Hatrack, and was not recieved well. Mainly, he was considered rude for not spelling properly, or taking time to make sure his grammar was ok. I told him to do what I did. Take your time, get the lay of the land. Learn the unspoken "rules", and then when your more confident, try again. I'm glad I waited. I'm still the same person, with the same ideas, just more confident about posting them.
 
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
 
[Frown] Tell your little brother I, for one, would love to read his posts. I'm sorry that he felt unwelcome here. Ideas trump grammar and spelling any day of the week.
 
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
quote:
However, my little brother tried twice to post on Hatrack, and was not recieved well. Mainly, he was considered rude for not spelling properly, or taking time to make sure his grammar was ok. I told him to do what I did. Take your time, get the lay of the land. Learn the unspoken "rules", and then when your more confident, try again. I'm glad I waited. I'm still the same person, with the same ideas, just more confident about posting them.
Yipes, I've never thought of Hatrack as a particularly insular or judgemental crowd, but then I've never really been on the receiving end of the scorn we might sometimes dish out, no matter how well intentioned it might be.

I think ultimately as long as a post is readable and the content is good we'd give the poster the benefit of the doubt, at least I'd like to think so.

Still, I find landy's statement troubling.
 
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
 
Landy, you really don't feel like a newbie, at least to me. I'm not sure if that's an artifact of my knowledge that you've been around for the better part of the time that I have, and are likely to know many of the in-jokes and much of the history that I do, or if it's a result of your comfortability with the conversation's flow, as you put it. Either way, though, it feels like you've been here a long time.

I'm sorry that your brother wasn't better received. We do value grammar and spelling around here, and I think that that's a positive thing, generally, but we can definitely be a bit harsher than is necessary when people post without consideration for either. I've certainly been guilty of that, I think.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
I actually think it was a learning experience for my brother. He is a very smart young man (he's 16), with a mature thought process, but he has to learn that to have his ideas come across as intelligent, he's got to present them in an intelligent way. He understood what I meant, and tried to start his own forum with his friends as a way to practice that. Alas, his friends thought it was better to take over his forum with fart jokes. [Mad]

For a while there, he was wanting to write a book. Hatrack was a wake up call for him that he needs to work on his writing. So now he's taking writing as an extracurricular class at school. He's getting better and has not given up, which I think is awesome.

You guys have been great to me, and one day, I imagine it will be a family affair. [Smile]
 
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
...and NaNoWriMo starts in just over a month! He can join us! [Big Grin]
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
NaNoWriMo?
 
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
quote:
but we can definitely be a bit harsher than is necessary when people post without consideration for either.
This, I quite agree with.

I've run across posts that were so riddles with grammatical errors & spelling mistakes that they were impossible to understand. Those ones, I have no problem with asking for cleanup or clarification. Posts with occasional typos or some mistakes but are still easily understandable are, IMNSHO, perfectly fine.

Given that we don't know your brother's userID (and no, I'm not asking or fishing for info), there's no way to tell what the case was with his. I'm sorry he had a bad experience. [Frown]
 
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
 
NaNoWriMo.
 
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
 
The thing is, stretching a little to understand is not that hard, and what is the result? Someone is welcomed into our midst who likely has new and interesting ideas we've never heard before. Hatrack has a lot of long time posters, which is great. We have continuity and a strong community because of that, but sometimes we need fresh input. It's our lifeblood, in truth. Without new people we would certainly gradually lose interest in the discussions since we all already know what each other will think on every topic under the sun. [Smile]

So not only do we gain a potentially excellent contributor and member of our community, but we influence them in the long run to write better. You don't learn by wishing, you learn by doing. Each new person we send packing because their standards of spelling and grammar aren't up to ours is a person who will not have the benefit of hanging in our forum where they will without fail learn over time how to write more persuasively and effectively.

Certainly my writing (such as it is) is much better because I practice by writing dozens of little essays (i.e. posts) every week as a part of our discussions. If we scorn and offend these new people, most of them quite young, what will be the end result on them and on us? How many newbies with bad spelling have later gone on to become cherished members of our community?

Spelling is something that is processed differently in different brains. Ability to spell well is not in any way a marker of intelligence, nor is it correlated to level of effort. My brilliant little brother, to give one example, has spent untold effort on spelling over his lifetime and still spells terribly whereas I have easily with no effort at all spelt better than him our whole lives. If there's any correlation with level of effort it's backwards. Those who are given the gift of brains that can spell don't have to expend any effort while those who aren't do.

I understand that people are afraid of hordes of barbarians at the gates, afraid that the entire spirit of the forum would change for the worse in some way. However, if there's anything I've learned in my 11 years at hatrack, it's that it changes. Nothing can remain the same forever. We either accept change and welcome it, or we die. The biggest change I would love to see happen at hatrack doesn't have to do with intellectual standards nor with writing quality nor yet with grammar and spelling. The change I yearn for most is a change of spirit to one that is warmer and more welcoming, generous, magnanimous, and reflects our deep and abiding love for all people, particularly the young.
 
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
 
I, personally, don't have a deep and abiding love for all people, especially the young. In general, I wish the young would grow up. I am perfectly happy for Hatrack to stay a place populated primarily by adults and unusually mature younger people. [Smile]
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Tatiana, what a great post.

ElJay, with your recent post in aspectre's hurricane thread, and the one above, it makes me believe that it was people like you that gave my brother the frights. Even though I agree that the decent writing part of Hatrack is a big part of being a good contributing member, I second Tatiana on this:

quote:
Originally posted by Tatiana:
The biggest change I would love to see happen at hatrack doesn't have to do with intellectual standards nor with writing quality nor yet with grammar and spelling. The change I yearn for most is a change of spirit to one that is warmer and more welcoming, generous, magnanimous, and reflects our deep and abiding love for all people, particularly the young.

I'm not saying Hatrack should run a preschool class on "How to be a Hatracker", but giving someone the benefit of time, and a true, hearty "Welcome!" can be huge in allowing them to become a part of this community.
 
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
It's funny how our superficial readings of people can be wrong. For instance, ElJay is one of the classiest people I know, and genuinely generous, as opposed to just liking to proclaim her virtue.

We can't defend what happened to your brother, because we don't know who he is. I, for one, will not grant that he was mistreated or is owed an apology without some evidence on the matter. Frankly it seems a bit manipulative to bring it up without giving us enough details to evaluate what really happened. In my experience, far more people feel mistreated than actually are. Hell, I feel mistreated by Hatrackers from time to time. I feel like nobody likes me and nobody reads my posts. But in my less self-absorbed moments, I can admit that it's mostly in my head--and that it's actually quite a ludicrous claim. This doesn't stop me from genuinely feeling this way from time to time. I think a lot of people convince themselves that they have been mistreated in the same manner.

ADDED:
I believe that on some rare occasion Hatrack as a community has been rude to newcomers. Far more often when this is claimed to be the case, however, it is actually the newcomers who were themselves rude and inconsiderate, and cry that they were mistreated when Hatrack fails to acknowledge their superiority in the way that they want. Nearly every example I can think of falls in this category. Specifically, I can't think of a polite person with poor spelling who was shunned. I can think of quite a few churlish people with poor spelling who had their spelling criticized, though. And it's indicative of how much Hatrack really is welcoming and open that each time some jackass cries about being treated harshly, Hatrack goes into spasms of guilty navel-gazing, to determine if there really is some spark of truth to the claim.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by landybraine:
Tatiana, what a great post.

ElJay, with your recent post in aspectre's hurricane thread, and the one above, it makes me believe that it was people like you that gave my brother the frights. Even though I agree that the decent writing part of Hatrack is a big part of being a good contributing member, I second Tatiana on this:

quote:
Originally posted by Tatiana:
The biggest change I would love to see happen at hatrack doesn't have to do with intellectual standards nor with writing quality nor yet with grammar and spelling. The change I yearn for most is a change of spirit to one that is warmer and more welcoming, generous, magnanimous, and reflects our deep and abiding love for all people, particularly the young.

I'm not saying Hatrack should run a preschool class on "How to be a Hatracker", but giving someone the benefit of time, and a true, hearty "Welcome!" can be huge in allowing them to become a part of this community.
(edited to add this):

Maybe I was a bit strong against you ElJay, because as I look, you gave me a nice, hearty "Welcome" and have yet to attack me. I think your hurricane post just ruffled my feathers a bit. [Smile]
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
By the way, I had this change of heart before I saw your post, Icarus.
 
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
 
Please note, ElJay != El JT Spang

--Mel
 
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
landybraine, what post of ElJay's in apectre's hurricane thread are you referring to?
 
Posted by Nighthawk (Member # 4176) on :
 
quote:
Please note, ElJay != El JT Spang
Yeah, you'd like is to think that, but we know the truth!
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by El JT de Spang:
How many hurricane threads do you really plan on starting?

Obviously, I'm an idiot. Yes, it was not ElJay, but El JT de Spang, and I offer my apologies to ElJay once more.

As to what I thought was wrong with El JT de Spangs' post, I felt like there was no need for this. Aspectre was putting info out there for people who wanted it. If you don't care, then why post negativly was my thought. I'm of the mindset that you don't need to critisize if it doesn't affect you. Aspectre posting about hurricanes was in no way harming anyone.

And as for my brother and his posts, I was more using that example as to why I think it was important to me (and him) to wait until posting. I also said I believe it was a learning experience for him. I will not give examples of his posts because I believe that in his case, he was able to take what happened and get something good out of it. With my brother, it worked out that something not so good had a good ending. (Him brushing up on his writing) It is no longer an issue, and he plans on joining again when he feels more comfortable.
 
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
 
You may want to oil those feathers down, if that ruffled 'em.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
Point taken, Tom. I just thought it was rude, and coupled with my confusion of who said what, I felt it warranted a response. Unnessesary rudeness happens to be my biggest pet peeve. I just don't understand why some people have the need to be rude, instead of just chalking it up to "Why bother?"
 
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
 
Crowswife and Quid I really am not a stalker, really, really.


Landybraine, may we ask what your brother's sn was here?
 
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Icarus:
Specifically, I can't think of a polite person with poor spelling who was shunned.

You know, neither can I.

(e.g, we've had several people come here who speak English as a second language, and some noticably non-fluently, and I can't recall any oafish behavior towards them -- quite the opposite, really)

Did your brother come in with both guns blazing, [landybraine]***, or was it a gentle introduction of himself? [Edited to add: not that his being impolite would have justified any and all sorts of reactions to him, just trying to get a better picture of what happened(although it would be all that much clearer if we knew his screenname)]

---

***Edited to correct my conflation of two names -- whoops, my apologies

[ September 22, 2007, 06:36 PM: Message edited by: ClaudiaTherese ]
 
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
 
Landybraine, breyerchic is a mental Hatrack archivist, not a stalker.

Although you wouldn't know it from this title of a thread she started. [Wink]
 
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
 
Much better wording morbo. I had been called a stalker in threads and on hatrack chat just before I posted that.
 
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
 
landybraine, unnecessary rudeness also happens to be one of my biggest pet peeves. Obviously, however, people can have different interpretations both of what is rude and what is necessary.

I do, however, how a policy of always giving newbies the benefit of the doubt, and offering a welcome and carefully phrased friendly advice if it seems warranted. It is extremely unlikely that your brother found me frightening, if he only posted here a few times. Although of course it's possible.

You said you weren't saying you thought we should run a preschool, but for a long time there were several threads on what you might call beginning Hatrack etiquette that were bumped periodically or people referred to if it seemed likely that they would find them helpful. I'm not sure why the practice dropped off, but I think it might have happened when we started getting new members at a much faster rate. The other problem with them, of course, is when could Hatrack as a whole ever agree on what good thread etiquette is?

Anyway, I think that joining Hatrack is very much like joining any other group. People who come in and introduce themselves and sound interested in getting to know other people generally are welcomed and have a good experience. People who come in and start participating without saying hello are judged much more on the quality of their participation. Established members are much more likely to offer tips and cut slack to new members show some politeness. Many of us do cultivate new members who seem nice and just need some "polish." But it can be incredibly draining to try to help someone meet the community standards who is obviously not interested in doing so, who barges in and starts on the "hard" topics without saying hi, and who seems to think that everyone here should change to meet their perceptions of how a forum should work rather than vice versa.

So when I say I don't have a deep and abiding love for all people, especially the young, I mean it. I think I give everyone a fair shake. I don't think everyone is at a place in their lives where they're ready to participate in this forum, and I see no need to pretend like they would be if people were just nicer to them. There are many, many places on the internet. No one place is right for everyone. This place was obviously not right for your brother at the time. I hope he's found someplace else that works out better for him right now. Hatrack also wasn't right for one of my very best friends, who was an adult when he found it and participated for awhile but just was never fully comfortable here. I was sad to see him go, but I didn't think his criticisms were entirely valid.


----

Thanks for the kind words, Joe.
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
breyerchic, I'm sorry, but I am not going to give out my brothers sn for a few reasons. One, he got wind of this thread and is a bit miffed that I was talking about him at all. He said he does not want to be the poster boy for what he didn't even consider to be something that offensive. Two, he plans on coming back and would like to start fresh when he feels more comfortable in his own abilities. I'm sure everyone can understand wanting to let go of what you were that you didn't like, and focus on what you are now.

So, I am sorry if it seemed like I was calling Hatrack a rude bunch of people who pick on little kids. That was not my intent at all. I will try to explain here the point I was trying to make with bringing him up at all.


quote:
Originally posted by landybraine:
I would say I feel like a newbie. I think the only thing I've learned from being a long-time lurker is the flow of the conversation. I've also brushed up on my writing, which is essential to being accepted on Hatrack. And rightly so. I think that's what makes this forum so great is the level of writing, and the thought that is put into it.

However, my little brother tried twice to post on Hatrack, and was not recieved well. Mainly, he was considered rude for not spelling properly, or taking time to make sure his grammar was ok. I told him to do what I did. Take your time, get the lay of the land. Learn the unspoken "rules", and then when your more confident, try again. I'm glad I waited. I'm still the same person, with the same ideas, just more confident about posting them.

The "However" in the above post should have read "incidentally" or even "On a suprising note". I was trying to convey that even though the Grammar/Spelling "police" can be scary, my brother and I both benifited from the experience of being corrected. He, having gone on to practice his writing--and me, having felt like I am comfortable enough with mine to join this community.

I tried to explain below that feeling bad about my brother's experience wasn't nessecary, as it was actually a good experience.

quote:
Originally posted by landybraine:
I actually think it was a learning experience for my brother. He is a very smart young man (he's 16), with a mature thought process, but he has to learn that to have his ideas come across as intelligent, he's got to present them in an intelligent way. He understood what I meant, and tried to start his own forum with his friends as a way to practice that. Alas, his friends thought it was better to take over his forum with fart jokes. [Mad]

For a while there, he was wanting to write a book. Hatrack was a wake up call for him that he needs to work on his writing. So now he's taking writing as an extracurricular class at school. He's getting better and has not given up, which I think is awesome.

You guys have been great to me, and one day, I imagine it will be a family affair. [Smile]

I seconded Tatiana's post below, not because I think that Hatrack is something other than this--but because this was the epitome of what I think Hatrack is, and should strive to be. I have admitted that I've been scared to post, but not necessarily because anyone has been a jerk, but because I didn't want to give the wrong impression of myself. (i.e.--a non-spelling, illiterate fool, which was my fear)

quote:
Originally posted by Tatiana:
The change I yearn for most is a change of spirit to one that is warmer and more welcoming, generous, magnanimous, and reflects our deep and abiding love for all people, particularly the young.

Like I said, this took a turn I wasn't going for. Do I have examples of people being jerks because of spelling and grammar? No. I have seen people get corrected and have seen their apparant embarrassment over it, or felt embarrassed for them. That was enough to make me self-concious to the point that I lurked until I felt well and ready to post.

quote:
Originally posted by landybraine

ElJay, with your recent post in aspectre's hurricane thread, and the one above, it makes me believe that it was people like you that gave my brother the frights.

ElJay, once again, I apologize for being short with you. This comment was stupid and shouldn't have been said. I took an immature stab at what I percieved to an insensitive post. And the worst part is I didn't even mean it. In the same way that I do not like rudeness in others, I abhorr it in myself and I feel like my comment was out of line and based on not only a misunderstanding, but also a bit of crabbiness that is uncharacteristic of me.

So, I hope this clears the air, and we can let go of whether Hatrack is a nice place or not. I for one think it is, albeit, a little scary at first.
 
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
It's cool with me. [Smile]
 
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
 
landybraine, welcome to Hatrack! Thread-drift is a funny thing.

I wear boxer-briefs. My favorite are striped black, gray, and white.

-Bok
 
Posted by landybraine (Member # 10807) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Bokonon:

I wear boxer-briefs. My favorite are striped black, gray, and white.

-Bok

That sounds like the beginning of a joke:

What's black, gray, white and red all over?

Bok's bottom with a sunburn!

I know, not really a knee slapper, but kinda funny.

And "Hiya" to 'ya, Bok!
 
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
 
For every well-intentioned newbie we scare off that we hear about, how many more do you think there are that we never hear about? This is the second time I can remember someone telling us of worthy newbies whom we sent packing. My 10 year old niece who is now 18 was a third. She would have made a wonderful hatracker, she's funny and smart, but was discouraged when her very first post, a post which told of her personal feelings about her own situation (how can anyone take issue with that?) was scorned and derided.

I say again, and not addressed to anyone in particular but to the whole board, that we could have a better, less contentious, more interesting, and happier forum if we withheld some of our scorn and treated all people with respect and kindness. Particularly the young and the new, who are not likely to hang around and take it.

If the same thing has happened three times that we know about, it's happened many more times that we didn't notice, it's happening frequently. In my work I'm taught that when the same accident or near-miss happens more than once, then it is a sign that there's something wrong that needs to be fixed.

We think the board belongs to us, those of us who have spent a lot of time and thought here, but in fact it belongs to Uncle Orson, and any of his young fans who come here deserve to be encouraged and welcomed, for this board belongs to them every bit as much as it does to us.

If you disagree with me that the board is not unwelcoming, that we are always respectful of new people, then what is your alternate interpretation of the three incidents I cite?
 
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
 
Tatiana, maybe I'm reading you wrong, but she was 10 when she posted?

If so - well, I'm glad she got discouraged! 10 is way too young for this site. If my 11 year old (precocious as can be, reading Raymond Feist and David Eddings) little sister wanted to access Hatrack I wouldn't let her.
 
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
 
And that because, is in a large part, kids that young shouldn't be posting on BB - no matter what they read, or are capable of understanding.
 
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
 
I agree with Imogen and was quite suprised that it wasn't in hatrack's TOS that you had to be thirteen.
 
Posted by SoaPiNuReYe (Member # 9144) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by breyerchic04:
I agree with Imogen and was quite suprised that it wasn't in hatrack's TOS that you had to be thirteen.

It's not like that would stop them from joining anyways...
 
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
 
Of course not, at least not all of them. But it's in the TOS for most forums and web things (AIM, Livejournal).
 
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
 
Tatiana, when I was a newbie there was only one Hatracker that posted something that made me feel unwelcome. I still remember it very plainly -- it wasn't even addressed directly to me, it was in a discussion of how fast the forums were growing and how hard it was getting to keep up. The person posted that her way of handling it was only to read posts of people whose names she recognized, either from long aquaintance or from Hatrack Chat. Since I don't chat, and was new to the site, my first thought was that if most of the oldtimers used that approach I might as well give up right away, since no amount of well written insightful posts would get people's attention if they didn't even read them.
 
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
 
I was only accepted here because of nepotism. [Taunt]

--Enigmatic
 
Posted by Tammy (Member # 4119) on :
 
[Kiss] Welcome!
 
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
 
Oh, so is that why we're so often rude to young people? Because that keeps them off the board since they're too young to be here anyway? Even though Ender was 11 and lots of precocious kids who have are drawn to the site because of Ender? I didn't realize it was a good thing after all. I just know that some of our best people have started at a very young age, and these three cases we know of tell me that we're losing more of these than we really want to lose.

dkw, I'm sorry if you felt put off by my statement when you were a newbie. I don't exclude myself from my wish that we be more welcoming.
 
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
You're mistakenly assuming that we grant that we're often rude to young people. I don't grant that at all. Show me some evidence; show me the rude posts. Until then, it's anecdotal claims made by people with axes to grind. Nobody was rude to me when I was a newbie; I can't recall ever seeing any other newbie treated rudely. I have heard it repeatedly asserted that it happens, though. If it happens so much, why haven't I ever seen it? Is it all happening on the other side of the forum? If so, then go berate people over there; many of the regulars there don't post on this side.
 
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
 
I pointed out 3 cases. How many do you need?
 
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
 
No, you didn't point to any. You pointed to three allegations. I'm asking for proof.
 
Posted by Javert Hugo (Member # 3980) on :
 
I am sad that the Young Writer's Forum was closed. I think that was an excellent place for teenagers to post.

However, I would rather throw myself off a bridge than be the moderator for that forum, so I completely understand why it was closed. I think there was a lot more happiness in general, though, when the groups weren't mixing.

I like kids, but I like discussing things with well-spoken adults.
 


Copyright © 2008 Hatrack River Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2